85R5772 EES-D
By: Arévalo H.B. No. 1412
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the continuation of medical assistance benefits for
individuals after release from confinement in a county jail.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 32.02641, to read as follows:
Sec. 32.02641. SUSPENSION AND AUTOMATIC REINSTATEMENT OF
ELIGIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS CONFINED IN COUNTY JAILS. (a) In this
section, "county jail" means a facility operated by or for a county
for the confinement of persons accused or convicted of an offense.
(b) An individual's eligibility for medical assistance is
suspended during the period the individual is confined in a county
jail.
(c) The eligibility of an individual for medical assistance
that is suspended as provided by Subsection (b) is automatically
reinstated on the date the individual is released from the county
jail, provided the individual's eligibility certification period
has not elapsed. Following the reinstatement, the individual
remains eligible until the expiration of the period for which the
individual was certified as eligible.
SECTION 2. Section 32.02641, Human Resources Code, as added
by this Act, applies to an individual whose period of confinement in
a county jail begins on or after the effective date of this Act,
regardless of the date the individual was determined eligible for
medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code.
SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.